English

This course is designed give the students initial preparation for the Regents exam by teaching essential language skills and familiarizing the students with the Common Core language standards and help them to develop critical reading and thinking skills. This class will also prepare the students for college–level reading, writing, and analytical thinking in addition to everyday practical skills. We will be using a collection of books encompassing both fiction and non-fiction readings. This class will help students develop their expository, argumentative, analytic, and descriptive writing skills. In addition, there will be a focus on building grammar and vocabulary. This class is also paired with several other subject and there will be interdisciplinary subjects and topics within the class discussions and readings. We will be exploring past politics and how our current and future politics are being dictated. How do these issues effect us? Our communities? Our society? And our world as a whole. Students will use their lessons to understand their role as a member of various groups and communities and the different types of contributions they can make to the world.

This course is designed give the students preparation for the Regents exam by honing essential language skills as well as helping students to become proficient in critical reading, thinking, and writing skills. This class will also prepare the students for college–level reading, writing, and analytical thinking in addition to everyday practical skills. We will be using a collection of books encompassing both fiction and non-fiction readings. This class will help students develop their, argumentative, analytic, and descriptive writing skills using a series of argumentative essays and textual analysis prompts. Students will become familiar with multiple literary devices and be able to connect their use and meaning to the overall themes and ideas depicted within a text. In addition, there will be a focus on building student grammar and vocabulary. This class is also vertically aligned with several other subjects and there will be interdisciplinary subjects and topics within the class discussions and readings. We will be exploring past politics and how our current and future politics are being dictated. How do these issues effect us? Our communities? Our society? Our identity? And our world as a whole. Students will use their lessons to understand their role as a member of various groups and communities and the different types of contributions they can make to the world.

Language is a defining human characteristic. It drives human expression in every aspect of life. We define our hopes, fears, successes and failures by the things we say and write. This course fulfills the NYS requirement for 12th grade ELA (Successful completion of this course is necessary for graduation.) In addition to fulfilling NYS requirements, our goal throughout this semester in English will be threefold. First: we will survey the great writing of others, analyze their stories, craft and ideas and reflect on them in meaningful ways. Second: We will learn methods to share our own voices, opinions, feelings and story with power and purpose. Third: We will learn how to use writing and express opinions and facts in a way appropriate for post high school professional and collegiate environments.

The AP English Literature and Composition course engages in the careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature. Through the close readings of selected texts (novels, short stories and poems), students deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to provide both meaning and pleasure for their readers. As you read, you will consider a work’s structure, style, themes as well as such smaller-scale elements as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism and tone. The course includes intensive study of representative works from various genres and periods, concentrating on works of recognized literary merit. The pieces chosen invite thoughtful discussion and writing about the books, short stories and poems selected. You will read deliberately and thoroughly, taking time to understand a work’s complexity, to absorb its richness of meaning, and to analyze how that meaning is embodied in literary form. In addition to considering a work’s literary artistry, you will reflect on the social and historical values it reflects and embodies. Careful attention to both textual detail and historical context provides a foundation for interpretation, whatever critical perspectives are brought to bear on the literary works studied. We will be experiencing the literature, interpreting the literature and evaluating literature. Experiencing, meaning the subjective dimension of reading and responding to literary works, including precritical impressions and emotional responses; Interpreting, meaning the analysis of literary works through close reading to arrive at an understanding of their multiple meanings; Evaluating, meaning to both assess the quality and artistic achievement of literary works and a consideration of their social and cultural values. Writing assignments focus on the critical analysis of literature and include. Although critical

The AP English Language course is developed based on AP English language guidelines for students who are willing to do college-level work during high school. Students should expect to devote sufficient time and energy to complete rigorous coursework—reading and discussion assignments, extensive writing, AP test preparation, vocabulary, use of rhetoric, collaborative language arts assignments, and peer/group discussion activities.

All Freshmen are programmed for a WHAT I NEED (WIN) Literacy Course during 9th period.

Literacy Assessment: STAR will identify the current reading level of each student.

Students will be placed in literacy groups according to their literacy needs to support their ongoing progress.